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Peter Steinberg's Reading List

a book list by Peter, the avid reader who runs Flashlight Worthy

shelved under Personal Favorites

While building this website, I've had the unique experience of reading about hundreds of books I wouldn't otherwise have come across. A few, those listed below, sounded so great that I wanted to add them to my "must read someday" list. 

So... while I haven't read a single one of the books below (and therefore can't personally vouch for their individual quality) they all sounded so good that I added them to this list.

The History of the Snowman

The History of the Snowman

by Bob Eckstein

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on Snow Books a.k.a. A Book List that Snow-Balled

 
 
A Soldier of the Great War

A Soldier of the Great War

by Mark Helprin

I want/need/will/look forward to reading this book for several reasons. In no particular order:

1) my Uncle, who's an extremely discriminating reader who rarely reads fiction loves this book.

2) Helprin's A Winter's Tale is one of my favorite novels of all time and I'm told this one is just as good.

3) I love history and find historical backdrops to novels a fantastic way to pick up a little knowledge on the side.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on Ed Bomze's Favorite Fiction

 
 
The Source

The Source

by James A. Michener

Jon Christensen from Lehi, Utah says:

A spectacular adventure through the ages of Israel from the simple beginnings to the devastating modern wars as you venture up and up through an archaeological dig site. You get to meet and love characters from every historical era, and you can even learn a little history while you're at it. Truly a monumental piece of fiction.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on Hal Steinberg's Favorite Novels

 
 
Portnoy's Complaint

Portnoy's Complaint

by Philip Roth

Rodney Welch from Columbia, SC says:

With his third novel, Roth truly found a voice he could speak through: a young Jewish lawyer, speaking from the psychiatric couch, whose life is one long litany of sexual, religious, and social neuroses.

The book is frank, filthy, and very, very funny: a hilarious stand-up routine and a most inspired literary performance. One of those books that is just absolutely assured from the beginning. A comic masterpiece of the first order.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

 
 
The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom

The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom

by Slavomir Rawicz

Simeon Stolzberg says:

Although controversial, this adventure is so preposterous that I want to believe it's true. A small group escapes from a frozen Soviet Gulag and walks to freedom in India, meeting incredible people along the route. It's a page-turner.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on Simeon Stolzberg's Favorite Books

 
 
The Great Brain Is Back

The Great Brain Is Back

by John D. Fitzgerald

Note that this book was published posthumously from notes left behind by the author. Having read it, it's a nice piece of nostalgia and a must-read for any fan of the original seven Great Brain books... but it's definitely not quite as good as the others.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on The Complete Great Brain Series

 
 
The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger

The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger

by Marc Levinson

Ok. I'll admit, this book sounds... BORING. But it's supposed to be downright fascinating so heck, I'll read it.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

 
 
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

by Ishmael Beah

S. Cooper says:

This book is a must read. It is a beautifully written account of the tragic childhood years of Ishmael Beah, who is forced to become a child soldier after his village is attacked and most of his family is murdered by rebel soldiers. in his native Sierra Leone. The subject matter is grave, yet Beah writes poetically and keeps you drawn in to the very end. Very poignant and moving tale of survival. My son and I had the chance to hear Mr. Beah speak in Dallas. He is mesmerizing and inspiring. Please read this book if you get the chance. You won't be the same after.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on The American Library Association's 2008 List of The Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults

 
 
Fight Club

Fight Club

by Chuck Palahniuk

I usually don't seek out a book after I've seen a movie version. Yes, the book is almost always better but once you know what's going to happen, the plot no longer matters and it becomes solely an exercise in appreciating the language.

In this case though, I was so blown away by the movie I have to read the book. Furthermore, there's an incredible plot twist that worked extremely well in a movie and yet I can't figure out how it would work in a book. Time will tell I suppose. :-)

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on:

21 Great Books with Just-As-Great Movie Versions

Every Novel by Chuck Palahniuk — Author of Fight Club

 
 
The Best Day The Worst Day: Life with Jane Kenyon

The Best Day The Worst Day: Life with Jane Kenyon

by Donald Hall

I came across this book while working on another list. A trusted friend, Dervala, described it as:

"There's lots of joy in this book. It's a clear-eyed and unsentimental look at sickness and death, but a good chunk of it is the story of their unusual marriage and how they lived and worked."

Beyond that, I don't want to learn any more. I trust Dervala and I want to read this book some day and I think it will have that much more impact if I go into it clean.

I want to read this book     I've read this and liked it

You should click here for more on this book

This book also appears on Odes to Dead Spouses

 

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